I am a beginner knitter and I have a question about instructions in a pattern. I am making a hat and the instructions say:
Cast on 55 stitches and join.
How do I join?
Then it says to work 8 rounds in garter stitch. I’m assuming you just keep knitting around and around 8 times.
Can you help me please. Thanks.
Take a look at the video for large diameter circular knitting on this page. It will describe how to join in the round.
When working in the round, garter stitch is knit one round, purl one round, etc. If you knit every stitch of every round on circular needles you will end up with stockinette stitch.
You also have to make sure, when you’re joining, that all of your stitches are facing the same way and none are twisted because then you end up with a twisted hat (I’ve done this a few times, to let you know. :doh: ).
Also make sure that you join with the needles right in front of you instead of having them point out toward your knees. This will prevent the work from being knit on the inside of the needles. You want it on the outside.
And many people get an annoying gap where the join between the ends of the caston row stretch apart a bit. I find the best way of eliminating it is to make the last and first stitch swop places, with one going through the middle of the other (crochet hook!). Perfect invisible join.
Others swear by casting on one stitch extra, then putting the last stitch next to the first stitch and knitting 2 together.
Or you could use the cast-on tail to sew up the gap later, mimicking the appearance of the caston row.
Sarah
if you are a continental knitter, when you have cast your stitches onto the circular needle, move the so they are evenly spread along the entire length tip to tip.
now, in your left hand hold the needle (tip) which has the tail yarn on (assuming you have don a long tail cast on) and in the right hand hold the needle (yip) which has the working yarn coming from it.
hold the working yarn in the left hand as normal making sure it passes behind the tip of the left needle, now knit your stitches as normal (including the tail yarn if you wish for a few stitches)
TADA!! you have joined your work and it is now in one big loop.
If you keep knitting round and round you get stockinette, ecause you are not turning the work as you would on straight needles. for arter you must knit one round then purl the next round then knit and so on. - thi is where stitch markers come in sefull so you know where the start of he round is!
[color=indigo]I find it much easier to knit a few rows and then join. Less chance of twisting the sts and it’s easier to work when you have some fabric on the needles.
If I were making what you are, I’d CO, knit two or three rows. Put needle with working yarn in your right hand, pick up other needle with your left hand and just start knitting, trying to keep the gap between the sts on the right hand needle and left hand needle to a minimum. When you get done, take the tail and stitch up the gap on the border and the first round if there is a gap there, too.
As you can see, in knitting there is always several different ways to do something. None are wrong and none the way. If it works, and you get the product you want, it’s the right way for you.[/color]
Thanks for the good info. I was just about to post the same type ?. I am just a little nervous about starting this project and knowing me I will start with the 5-rectangle sweater 1st.
Could you explain this process a bit more? What do you mean by making one go through the middle of the other, and how do you use the crochet hook to do this?
A stitch is like a loop on the needle. When the stitches swop places, they don’t go past each other, one goes through the middle of the other. Since you can’t put your fingers through to pull one stitch through the other, a crochet hook is much easier. Tweezers might work as well too.
Sarah